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G. Lavecchia et al. / Tectonophysics 445 (2007) 145–167 147

the Plio-Quaternary Gela foredeep deposits, which sep- richness of structural details, such as anticline and
arate the collapsed margin of the foreland from the syncline fold axes and minor thrust and strike–slip
frontal thrust of the chain, are also present. (Lickorish faults, that may be found in the map was fundamental in
et al., 1999; Guarnieri et al., 2002). order to reconstruct the geometry of major thrust fronts
The major Sicilian tectonic elements are shown in the bounding different tectonic units. An arc-shaped,
structural map of Fig. 2, also with an indication of their southward convex, general setting is clearly evident
likely age. This map, which was drawn at an original and mainly determined by the prevalence of WNW–
scale of 1:500,000, is the result of an original, ESE structural trends on the western side of the island
georeferenced, integration and compilation of a large and of ENE–WSW structural trends on the eastern side,
quantity of information derived from literature, espe- with a relevant right-lateral strike slip component along
cially geological maps and profiles at different scales the WNW–ESE direction (Grasso et al., 1995; Nigro
(see references in the captions of Figs. 2 and 3). The and Renda, 2001b). The arched shape of the SBT does

Fig. 1. Tectonic framework of the study area with major structural domains of southern Italy. Key: 1 — Calabria–Peloritani metamorphic thrust
units; 2 — Apennine–Maghrebide early Miocene to Quaternary fold-and-thrust system; 3 — foredeep deposits; 4 — Hyblean and Apulian
foreland; 5—thrust front of the Alpine-derived Calabria–Peloritani units; 6 — Outer front of the Apennine–Maghrebide chain; 7 — Outer limit of
upper crust active extension; 8 — Sicily Channel normal and normal-oblique fault system; 9 — Normal and normal-oblique faults in the Tyrrhenian
Sea; 10 — Malta Escarpment.